SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a marketing discipline focused on growing visibility in organic (non-paid) search results. SEO encompasses both the technical and creative elements required to improve your ranking, drive traffic, and increase awareness of your website in search engines. It’s important to note that the major search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo are regularly changing their search algorithms. This means SEO is not a static tool, but a strategy that should continue to change and grow with your business.
OVERVIEW
Consistent Contact Info across the Internet (NAP)
This may seem trivial at first, but this is actually the 2nd most important factor for local search ranking – second only to actually having a business in the city you're trying to rank for!
This area of SEO is called Citations or NAP which stands for name, address, & phone number. The search engines will scan other websites and directories like Avvo, Facebook, Yelp, Yellowpages, etc. to find your contact info. If they find that there are inconsistencies between the platforms, they will then lower your ranking because they know that this leads to a bad experience for your potential clients.
This can include old phone or suite numbers, duplicate entries on the same site, and even inconsistencies like listing 123 Main St. on one site, and 123 Main Street on another.
Blogging
Staying active with blog posting is another great way to improve the ranking of your website. We always recommend keeping your main practice area content easy to read and digest for your clients. You can expand on this main content by adding blog posts to your site.
The blog posts should contain naturally occurring keyword-rich copy, with common phrases that people may use while searching for a firm to hire. You can also use the blog as an area of the site to really drill down on some of the niche areas of your services.
For example, if you handled personal injury cases, you could list Auto Accidents under the main practice area page, then create some blog posts talking specifically about truck, motorcycle, and train accidents. Some other ideas for posts include doing a quick write up on an interesting case you handled, new laws coming into effect, or updates on your business (new staff, office, services, etc.). The main focus is about producing content that will be beneficial to users and to show the search engines that you are staying active with your web presence.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics (GA) is the most popular digital analytics tool in the world – and for good reason! It's user friendly, free, and helps you make more well-informed business decisions. Here are some of the main advantages of using GA:
Automated Data Collection – Once you set up your account, send us your tracking ID (something like UA-000000-2). After the code is installed, Google will automatically start collecting data. Even if you aren't going to use this info right away, it's great to have access to this historical data for any future marketing decisions!
The ABCs – Google Analytics gives you incredible insight into your website's visitors. They break these down into 3 sections:
Acquisition – How do you acquire users?
Behavior – How do users behave on your site?
Conversions – Do users take a desired action on your site?
SEO Consultants/Paid Advertising/SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
In addition to the items listed in the table above, there are other optional paid resources you can use to further your website's search presence. These services include: SEO Consultants, Google AdWords, and Facebook advertisements.
We don't offer ongoing custom SEO services, but we do build your site using modern SEO best practices such as unique meta titles, optimized meta descriptions, keyword-rich content, image alt tags, etc.
If ongoing maintenance of your site's SEO is of particular interest to you, we suggest looking into hiring an SEO consultant. Many of our customers find that having a dedicated contact for SEO can be one of the easiest and most beneficial tools for growing their business. Be cautious though – no one can promise a #1 ranking so beware of companies that offer this! Aim for a limited contract until you can see the progress they are making on your search rankings. Once you find the right consultant, we are happy to work with them directly to implement any changes on the site!
Quick SEO Tips
Link Building – Create relevant, high-quality links to your website from other websites like business directories, bar associations, and social networks. Some suggestions are: Avvo, Facebook, Google Business Listings, Yahoo, Yelp, FourSquare, BBB, and any other local associations or directories. *Remember that consistency of your NAP is crucial!
Reputation Building – Find satisfied clients to submit good feedback about your practice online through networks like Google Reviews, Facebook, Avvo, et
Blog Posting – Post to your website’s integrated blog to expand your site with fresh, relevant content on a frequent basis. Remember to include common search terms, industry language, areas of business, and unique content for a keyword rich website. Don’t forget to share your new blog posts on your other social pages to drive traffic back to your site!
Social Networking – Create and update your company Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin pages, and share blog articles you create on your website through your company’s social media.
Google Analytics – Sign up for a Google Analytics account to monitor your web traffic. Make sure to modify and build upon your content based on your results!
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